Woman In The Shop
by darkestboy
Summary: Clara told the Doctor that a woman had given her his number but which one was it? Set within The Bells Of Saint John and The Rings Of Akhaten.


**Name:** Woman In The Shop  
**Characters:** 11th Doctor, Clara Oswald, River Song and Rose Tyler.

**Synopsis:** Clara told the Doctor that a woman had given her his number but which one was it? Set within _The Bells Of Saint John_ and _The Rings Of Akhaten_.

Clara Oswald hated computers, technology and basically anything that required an overreliance on buttons. It was a source of amusement for those who knew her. Her mum and dad had found it strange when she was the only kid on their street who wasn't demanding for her own laptop at the age of fourteen and her mates had spent too much of their time trying (and failing) to get her on Twitter and Facebook with little success.

Yes, Clara Oswald was something of a technophobe and she wasn't ashamed to admit it. On the rare occasion that she actually needed to use the internet, both of her charges, Angie and Artie Maitland were the ones who had to try and help her but unfortunately, neither of them were around when she needed their help with her own laptop.

She stared at the machine with a sense of frustration, typing away, trying to get the internet to work but to no avail. Clara then remembered that a few blocks away from the home she was staying in, there was a computer shop within walking distance. Clara smiled as she closed the laptop, placed it in her bag and headed out the door. She wouldn't be long and George had yet to leave for work. It would be a simple trip back and forth to get some help. It wouldn't take her long - at least that was what Clara was telling herself.

"This is a bit embarrassing," Clara smiled, showing the laptop to a woman not much older than her.

"I wouldn't worry about it, I get this all the time," the woman with blonde hair smiled politely as she studied Clara without trying to make it obvious as she looked at the computer. "You keep saying it throws you out?"

"Um, yeah, it does that," Clara said, watching as the woman fiddled around with the laptop, typing away at a speed that impressed her. "If I could only do that. I'm hopeless with computers. Always have been really. My friends say I could be from the Dark Ages when it comes to technology."

"I used to be like that as well," the blonde woman smiled at her as she switched the laptop off and began to write a number down, handing it to Clara with a steely determination. "If there's any more trouble, just call this number. The man on the other end, he's the greatest for these kind of things. A real life saver."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks again," Clara smiled, placing the laptop back into her bag as the blonde woman watched her leave. When she was gone, another woman stepped out from behind the counter. Rose Tyler looked at this woman with a wary regard.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Rose said as she turned to face the woman with the curly strawberry blonde hair that wouldn't give her a name. "If the Doctor finds out."

"He will find out, Rose," River Song smiled cheekily as she stepped closer to the counter where Rose was. They both looked at each other, sizing the other one up for good measure. "That girl, Clara Oswald. It's important he meets her. You do understand that, don't you?"

"I understand perfectly," Rose said, a little impatience in her voice. "Despite you telling me so very little."

"The less you know, the better for you," River said, keeping her voice neutral and cryptic.

"What do I tell my Doctor and Mickey?" Rose found herself asking River. "They're going to be here in five minutes."

"Tell them you were led on a wild goose chase. That you didn't find anything sinister in this shop at all," River said as she began to press some buttons on the device she was wearing around her wrists. "I'm sure you'll think of something. I'll see you soon, Rose Tyler."

Rose didn't get a chance to ask the mysterious woman what exactly she meant with that comment. Instead, she decided to ring the Doctor and tell him and Mickey that there were no leads on the missing Zygon in the shop and she would meet them outside a rebuilt Henriks instead.

As she walked towards the shop where she used to work in order to meet her Doctor and Mickey, Rose found herself thinking about the mysterious woman, Clara Oswald. The girl seemed so oblivious to the fact that pretty soon, the Doctor was going to gatecrash into her life and change it forever. Meeting Sarah Jane Smith had informed Rose that she wasn't the first person to travel with the Doctor and working with the strange woman with curly hair in order to point Clara towards the Doctor was a reminder that she wouldn't be the last person to travel with him.

Clara Oswald had stepped out of the TARDIS or the snog box as she had found herself calling it, knowing that by tomorrow night, her life was going to change. She knew she was going to travel with the Doctor, she just didn't want to seem too eager. He seemed the type that was used to people jumping at the chance of going into time and space without thinking it through. Clara knew she couldn't afford that luxury – she had people to take into account before going anywhere. Her father for a start as well as the Maitlands, though she knew Angie certainly wouldn't object to her travelling with a strange man who looked like he could've come out the _Summer Falls_ book she had been rereading.

It was after seven o'clock the next day when the Doctor called and he had been right on time, TARDIS parked outside the Maitland house. The door open and the alien was staring at her with an inviting gesture as Clara stepped inside the machine.

"Where would you like to go?" the Doctor asked simply and Clara replied just as simply.

"Somewhere awesome."

- The End -


End file.
